ARTICLES ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON BY DATE - PAGE 2

SportsDirect Inc. Preview: Lafayette at Seton Hall Seton Hall has been one of the most injury-plagued teams in the country this season, but the Pirates won't get much sympathy from their next opponent. Lafayette heads into Friday's contest at Seton Hall's Walsh Gymnasium without leading scorer Seth Hinrichs, who will miss at least another week with a knee injury. Hinrichs was clearly missed when the Leopards had their four-game win streak snapped with a 65-62 loss to St. Francis Brooklyn on Dec. 19. Pirates coach Ralph Willard was encouraged after co-captain Fuquan Edwin and forward Patrik Auda returned from injuries in a 92-70 victory over Eastern Washington on Sunday.

Towson 35, Eastern Washington 31: Backup quarterback Connor Frazier rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 17 seconds remaining and the visiting Tigers advanced to the FCS championship game for the first time in school history. Terrance West had 27 carries for 115 yards and two touchdowns for Towson (13-2), which will face North Dakota State in the FCS title game Jan. 4 in Frisco, Texas. The Tigers, who trailed 31-21 early in the fourth quarter, drove 71 yards in 1:18 for the winning touchdown.

Towson advances to FCS title game CHENEY, Wash. -- Numb. Surreal. And wet -- from a Gatorade bath. Those are the three words that Towson coach Rob Ambrose used to describe what he was feeling after his program's five-year rebuilding journey culminated in a ticket to Frisco, Texas, for the Football Championship Subdivision national championship game with a 35-31 win over Eastern Washington on Saturday at Roos Field. Towson will make its first appearance in the FCS national championship game when the Tigers face North Dakota State on Jan. 4. That ticket was punched with an improbable fourth-quarter comeback.

SportsDirect Inc. Preview: UC Irvine at Oregon Oregon attempts to continue its best start in seven years when it hosts UC Irvine on Tuesday. The No. 11 Ducks have reeled off nine straight victories to post the program's best beginning to a campaign since the 2006-07 squad won its first 13 contests. UC Irvine can't be taken lightly as the Anteaters feature four double-digit scorers plus a sensational freshman shot blocker and notched an impressive victory at Washington earlier this season.

Heads up, Tony Romo, there is another Eastern Illinois quarterback coming to the NFL. And Jimmy Garoppolo is bringing his Walter Payton Award with him. Monday night, Garoppolo became the second Payton Award winner from the Ohio Valley Conference school, following in Romo's footsteps, by outdistancing Eastern Washington quarterback Vernon Adams and Towson running back Terrance West in the voting for FCS outstanding player honors. The 6-foot-3, 222-pound senior, perhaps the leading offensive candidate from the FCS for the 2014 NFL draft, gained just over half of the first-place votes - 74 of 147 - and 576 points from a national panel of sports information and media relations directors, broadcasters, writers and other dignitaries.